A new report by Column, a digital communications firm, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu commands the largest online followership in his Cabinet, with 4.5 million followers across social media platforms.
However, most of his Ministers have no presence on many of the popular social media platforms where Nigerians hold conversations on a daily basis.
According to the report, as of April 11, 2025, the combined following of Nigeria’s 51 ministers across five major platforms, Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok, stands at around 17 million followers.
But more than 60% of that is concentrated in just five individuals, with President Tinubu alone accounting for 26.6% of the cabinet’s total digital footprint.
Tinubu’s digital-savvy Ministers
President Tinubu is followed by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, who commands 1.6 million followership, while the Health Minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, has 1.46 million followers across the platforms.
- Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, came fourth with 1.37 million followers, while FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has 1.33 million online followers.
- The report indicated that at the opposite end of the spectrum, two ministers have zero followers across all platforms, and several others command fewer than 500 followers total.
- Surprisingly, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, is conspicuously missing in the top five.
- The median audience per minister sits at just over 64,000, a modest figure considering Nigeria’s population of over 236 million and its youth-dominated demographics.
Twitter rules, TikTok and LinkedIn trail
The platform of choice remains Twitter (X), where almost all the ministers are active and have attracted a combined 9.4 million followers.
Facebook follows with 4.8 million, Instagram with 2.1 million, while TikTok and LinkedIn lag behind, despite their growing importance.
- Just 7 ministers use TikTok and 17 are on LinkedIn, despite the latter’s relevance to professional and policy audiences.
- Only one minister, Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, appears on all five platforms, showing what a fully digital-savvy public official could look like.
- In contrast, two ministers are on just one platform, and several others have poorly maintained or inactive accounts, according to the Column report.
The concerns
According to the report, the level of concentration raises flags as it suggests a dependency on a few figures for digital communication, while others remain digitally absent.
“For a government committed to openness and citizen connection, this imbalance presents both a challenge and a strategic opportunity.
“A truly connected cabinet should reflect broad, consistent engagement across ministries—not just a handful of online heavyweights,” the report stated.
Why it matters
In an increasingly digital world, the way leaders engage with the public is evolving—and fast. For Nigeria, a country of over 236 million people with a median age of just 18, digital channels have become critical pathways for communication, visibility, and trust building.
Ministries tasked with public-facing mandates like youth development, information, or education are expected to be leading the charge online.
When they are not, it raises questions around accessibility and inclusion and also a missed opportunity to build trust, humanize government, and offer clarity in a noisy media environment.
